Paulas choice 4 bha review

The Paula's Choice Resist Daily Pore-Refining Treatment With 2% BHA is a great product to help target pore size, fine lines, add hydration, exfoliate, and even out skin. With everything that this product offers, it’s a great chemical exfoliant to add to your skincare routine after confirming with your dermatologist that it’s ideal for your specific skin type.

We put Paula’s Choice Resist Daily Pore-Refining Treatment With 2% BHA to the test after receiving a complimentary sample from the brand. Keep reading for our full product review.

Editor’s Note: We reviewed this article on September 22, 2023. As per our editorial policy, we are constantly updating our content, to make sure it reflects the best of the best when it comes to beauty, wellness, and fashion. We want to assure our readers that we still stand by our recommendations, which we do.

Pores come in all different sizes, some more noticeable than others. While it’s imperative to understand that our pores never really go away (our skin needs them to detox), it’s okay to want to shrink the size of them and help them appear less noticeable. While there are several treatments targeted to minimize the look of pores, which ones really live up to the hype?

I tested out Paula’s Choice Resist Daily Pore-Refining Treatment With 2% BHA to see if applying this solution daily really made a difference.

Keep scrolling to read my thorough review.

Paula's Choice Resist Daily Pore-Refining Treatment With 2% BHA

Best for: Face, neck, chest

Uses: Unclog pores, fade fine lines and discoloration

Potential Allergens: Salicylic acid, sodium hyaluronate, panthenol

Active Ingredients: Salicylic acid

Price: $33

About The Brand: Founded in 1995 by Paula Begoun, Paula’s Choice is a line of skincare products formulated to address specific skincare concerns that range from acne to anti-aging. With over 25 years as a successful brand in the beauty industry, some notable best-sellers are C15 Super Booster, Super Light Wrinkle Defense SPF 30, Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment, amongst many others.

About My Skin: I believe in chemical exfoliants

I am someone who believes in chemical exfoliants and likes to use them on my skin versus ones that contain granules. Skincare is of the utmost importance to me, and I do have a regulated A.M. and P.M. routine. I have combination sensitive skin, so some parts are dry, other parts oily, and I react to fragrances and can break out from time to time. My pores are small to medium in size and tend to get clogged often, and the majority of them exist on each side of my nose close to my cheeks.

How to Apply: Saturate a cotton pad and get to work

For best application practices, you’re going to want to apply this solution to a cotton pad first and then sweep it in an upward motion covering all areas of the face, and you can use it on the neck and decollete area as well. If you apply this product in the morning, you will absolutely need to follow up with sunscreen as the acids here can make your skin more sensitive to the sun. At night, follow up with your preferred treatment serums and creams once the solution has fully dried.

Byrdie / Ashley Rebecca

The Results: Glowing like a glazed donut

After using this pore-refining treatment just one time, I immediately noticed that my pores were minimized, and my skin was glowing. I mean glowing like a glazed donut, glowing. That is the perk of using products with chemical exfoliants in them, you really get to see the beauty of fresh skin coming through.

Byrdie / Ashley Rebecca

With continued use, I noticed that my skin wasn’t irritated at all and that the texture was smooth, which is another thing that’s really important to me. I was able to mix this product in with other brands of skincare and didn’t have any issues. I always wore sunscreen after applying it in the morning. My skin did become slightly red after being outside one particular day in the heat, so I was really careful in how much sun exposure I got and always made sure I was prepared. Another great thing about this treatment is that there’s no smell, making it easy to use for those who might have sensitivities to fragrance. My skin maintained its glow both bare-faced and when wearing makeup, and I loved how dewy it looked. There wasn’t any kind of stinging or adverse reaction, nor any breakouts.

Byrdie / Ashley Rebecca

The Value: Costly but affordable

Costing around $10 per ounce, this treatment is more costly than other toners on the market, yet still affordable compared to other treatments that come in around $40 to $60 with the same ingredients. The results are consistent and work with different skin types, making it well worth the investment if you’re in the market for a new chemically exfoliating product.

After using this pore-refining treatment just one time, I immediately noticed that my pores were minimized, and my skin was glowing. I mean glowing like a glazed donut, glowing.

Byrdie / Ashley Rebecca

Similar Products: You've got options

PCA Skin Pore Refining Treatment: PCA Skin's Pore Refining Treatment ($62) targets and helps purify pores, addresses oil, and treats fine lines. After cleansing, apply to a cotton pad or use your fingers to work the product in a circular motion all over the face.

Glossier Solution: 10% of the Glossier Solution ($24) is made up of skincare acids to help remove dead skin cells for a smoother, more glowing complexion. AHA’s, BHA’s, and PHA’s work together to slough away dead skin while minimizing pores and smoothing skin’s texture.

Naturium BHA Liquid Exfoliant 2%: Naturium's BHA Liquid Exfoliant 2% ($20) contains salicylic acid and bioactive fruit acids to help unclog pores, even out your skin tone, treat fine lines and wrinkles and leave you with a seriously radiant, glowing complexion.

Final Verdict

If you want to see a reduction in pore size, have a more glowing complexion, and tackle any kind of texture concerns with your skin, apply the Paula's Choice Resist Daily Pore-Refining Treatment With 2% BHA every day and watch your skin transform and glow in the process.

How long does it take to see results from Paula's Choice?

Depending on the products you were using before, you may see overnight improvement. Enhanced results will occur within 2–8 weeks and will increase and be maintained over time. During the day, your moisturizer or foundation must contain an SPF 30 or greater sunscreen or you will not get the best results.

Can I use Paula's Choice exfoliant everyday?

Many people with stubborn clogged pores have great results using a Paula's Choice BHA exfoliant twice per day. Note: Those new to using BHA should start by only applying every other day and note skin's response before moving on to more frequent application.

Is Paula's Choice exfoliant good for acne?

CLEAR Extra Strength Anti-Redness Exfoliating Solution 2% Salicylic Acid is designed for moderate to stubborn acne and blackheads. It's effective for deeply clearing pores and smoothing skin texture. This product is spiked with a hefty dose of antioxidant green tea, which helps soothe redness.

Can I use Paula's Choice BHA with niacinamide?

Yes, it is safe to use niacinamide and BHA together. Both formulas are effective yet gentle and contain additional calming and restoring antioxidants. Some people with extra-sensitive skin may find that alternating them by using one in the morning and one at night works best.